The Edo State Flood, Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (EDOFEWMA) has called for early intervention in erosion-prone areas across the state to prevent developing gullies from worsening into major disasters.
The agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Okoyomoh, made the call on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ engagement on soil erosion control and stabilisation organised by a University of Lagos team in Benin.
Key Highlights
- EDOFEWMA calls for early intervention in erosion-prone communities across Edo State.
- The agency says it has identified major gullies across the state’s three senatorial districts.
- More than 35 erosion control project designs have reportedly been completed.
- University of Lagos researchers are exploring nano-silica, nanotechnology and organic vegetation for soil stabilisation.
- The Edo Government says it will review the researchers’ recommendations.
- EDOFEWMA says some flood control measures have improved stormwater flow in parts of the state.
EDOFEWMA Identifies Erosion Hotspots
Okoyomoh said the meeting brought together experts and stakeholders to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges of erosion and flooding in Edo State.
He said EDOFEWMA had identified several massive gullies across Edo’s three senatorial districts and stressed the need to address smaller erosion sites before they developed into more serious problems.
According to him, the agency has completed more than 35 designs for erosion control projects across the state, following the mandate and support of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
“Erosion control is not something you just jump into. You need a comprehensive design before you can solve the problem,” Okoyomoh said.
He said designs had been completed for erosion sites in Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North, adding that the agency was waiting for the rains to subside before beginning civil works on some of the projects.
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Agency Reports Progress on Flood Control
The EDOFEWMA chief executive also highlighted measures taken to address flooding in parts of the state.
He said drainage and underground infrastructure improvements in areas such as Ikpoba had helped improve the flow of stormwater.
Okoyomoh added that the state government had channelled water from the Tempoga area into the river, a measure he said had reduced the risk of flooding within the affected catchment.
UNILAG Team Proposes Soil Stabilisation Technology
Professor Lukeman Adams, Director of the Central Research and Reference Laboratory at the University of Lagos, said the university’s team had visited Edo about a year earlier to collect soil samples from the three senatorial districts for research.
Adams said the research was aimed at developing a locally applicable solution for addressing incipient erosion and gully erosion before they became larger and more difficult to control.
The team returned to Edo to demonstrate an integrated soil stabilisation approach involving nano-silica, nanotechnology and organic soil vegetation.
According to Adams, the approach is designed to bind loose soil particles, increase soil density and compactness, and reduce the likelihood of the soil being washed away.
He said the proposed solution was considered safe because its components occur naturally in soil. He explained that nano-silica is derived from silica, which is present in materials such as sand.
Adams said the technology could complement EDOFEWMA’s existing efforts by providing an additional method of controlling erosion at its early stages.
“What we are advocating is that before it gets to those big, massive problems, let us arrest the problem,” he said.
Edo Government Considers Researchers’ Recommendations
The Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Environment and Sustainability, Johnson Adamu, said environmental protection was a key responsibility of government and required the cooperation of relevant stakeholders.
Adamu said the expertise and recommendations presented by the University of Lagos team could strengthen the state’s existing roadmap for erosion control.
He said the Edo Government would study the recommendations and explore ways of integrating applicable solutions into its ongoing efforts to address flooding and erosion across the state.
The stakeholders’ engagement comes as authorities and environmental experts continue to examine measures for preventing erosion and flooding from escalating into more severe environmental and infrastructure challenges across Edo State. NEMA publishes flood and disaster preparedness updates on its official website.
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